Housekeeping Lien...Help!

[Ed L.]

I'm working on the biggest single transaction of my RE career...

My RE brokerage is brokering the deal... I'm representing the buyer and one of my agents is representing the seller.

After 3 Hours of negotiations we finally come to a agreement on price.

It's a all cash deal set to close next Friday... No inspections, no contingencies, no headaches it seems....

Then my listing agent tells me of a wild story about how the seller had requested that he hire a cleaning lady last summer to straighten the camp house up..*Large Land deal with camp* 1,500 sq/ft

He contacts a cleaning lady and ask for a estimate on what it would cost to do a basic clean up.... Just make the beds, dust, sweep, basic, basic stuff... She says that she doesn't like giving quotes without seeing the house first "understandably"

She then gives a ball park estimate of $200.00

Seller said that would be fine, so they gave her directions to get started....

Agent actually went by while she was there to check in.. Cleaning lady was doing her thing and didn't say a word

Then the bill comes in to the office... $1,000 FOR 8 HRS OF HOUSE CLEANING...

Understandably seller refuses to pay such a ridiculous price for such little work..

He sends her a check for $400 which was about 400% too much IMO...

She said that wouldn't cut it.....

So she goes and files a lien on the property....????

Now my Year Maker has a $600 lien Lmao....

I'm not that concerned about the effect on the deal.... The seller will pay it without question if he has to, but it just seems that what she did should be illegal..

I would greatly appreciate some guidance on how to handle a situation such as this...

[Joel Owens]

Ed,

People can file fake liens all the time.

You can go through steps to get the lien removed.

Right now it is a mark on the title.If this is a big a deal as you say then you and the other agent eat 300 bucks each and be the hero.Time is money.I would much rather have the cash now and do more deals.

Right now the seller and buyer are lined up.If you wait to clear a lien things and personal and business situations can change and kill the deal.

Did the lady return the 400 the seller sent?? If not she has to sign an acknowledgement form for the 400 and provide a copy she cashed it before she will be paid the other 600.

If I am making 50,000 in commission I will pay 300 split between 2 brokers instead of a war between a wronged seller and a house cleaning person.

If the lien was much higher then I would look at it closer.It's a case by case basis with these liens.